Every year at the beginning of August the city of Medellín celebrates Feria de Las Flores. The first flower festival took place in May 1957, and included a parade that represented the end of slavery. The festival was later moved to August in order to celebrate the independence of Antioquia. These days the festival includes…
Author: Connor Scott-Gardner
How a Month in Medellín Taught me to Live
4 weeks ago, a plane I was on landed in the beautiful city of Medellín. I had no idea what to expect, having read very little about the city before I made the decision to study there. Armed with a suitcase, backpack and very tired dog I headed out of the airport to start my…
A Study Session and Unexpected Friends
From the 28th of May to the 4th of June I went to Strasbourg to attend a study session ran by ESN (the Erasmus Student Network), ENIL (European Network on Independent Living) and the Council of Europe. It focussed on intercultural learning within a mixed ability group, gathering young people from across Europe to learn…
30 Days
For so long it was just a dream. I knew when I started my degree that I’d be spending the third year in another country, but I never could have imagined it would be Colombia. That was too much to hope. Yet I am. I’ve spent the morning packing up my apartment in order to…
I’m going to Colombia!
It is official, last night I received my acceptance letter to EAFIT university in Medellín. I have 3 months to sort out mine and Isla’s vaccinations, buy us insurance, find somewhere to live, organise o&m, get my visa, find a dog food supplier and buy my flight. And I am so ready to start! Not…
The People who Made Isla
The bond between service dog and handler is almost impossible to explain. It is built upon trust, I trust Isla and she trusts me. We seek reassurance from one another, and we must be there to provide that reassurance. I’ve learnt to tell what she wants by her body language and the sounds she makes….
Have you Ever Tried Glasses?
The conversation starts something like this: “So how long have you been blind then?” I could be in an airport waiting to board my flight, settled in the back of a taxi on the way to the train station or queueing for a cup of coffee. The setting isn’t important, my blindness is. Usually I’ll…
When a Man on the Bus Said my Eyes Look Strange
“Are you partially sighted?” The question came to me from behind and to the right, a seat somewhere behind where my friends were sitting. I awkwardly fidgeted, not really wanting to answer but knowing if I didn’t anger, or at the least persistence would follow. “No,” I muttered. I hoped he would realise I was…
Speaking at the European Parliament: a Transformative Experience
As a co-founder of Disabled Survivors Unite, I was invited to speak at the European Parliament in Brussels earlier this week. We were invited by Soraya Post, who had organised a hearing on the domestic abuse experienced by disabled people and what needs to be done about it. I felt so fortunate to be given…
I’m going to speak at the European Parliament!
Yes, it’s true. On Tuesday the 31st of January I’ll be speaking at the European Parliament with the other co-founders of Disabled Survivors Unite. I can’t quite believe this is happening, even though I’ve been sitting on the news for a month now. We are speaking on the panel “Domestic Violence Against People with Disabilities”…